We support a strong commitment to the land grant philosophy which underlies the mission of the College. Research, instruction, service - these provide the theme for our scholarship. We have in our College, the responsibility to bring to bear the expertise and resources needed to address issues facing individuals and families in our changing society. This issue-oriented approach calls for linkages across disciplines as well as between the research, instruction and service roles. Thus, one of the key tasks in my administrative role is to facilitate the work of our faculty and students to conduct basic and applied research, to train the next generation of scientists, and to translate that research data into information to enhance the human condition.
I cannot think of a more enjoyable activity than watching the reasoning process of young children enfold. It is this fascination with how we put together our picture of the world that brought me to the field of child development and to study how creativity evolves in children. The development of problem-solving skills lays the groundwork for the educational process. For the past decade I have been involved with a research consortium called the Preschool Creativity Project. Throughout our research we focus on discovering how to elicit creative problem-solving and on identifying barriers to creative thought. The project has incorporated both theoretical and applied research to begin the exploration of how creative abilities develop and are nurtured. At UTK, this research has been focused on issues related to design of children's environments and the effects of design on children's processing of information. This interdisciplinary effort includes student and faculty members in Interior Design and Child Development which has been an interesting and exciting process. These experiences also have led to a strong interest on how teams facilitate problem-solving and team management styles.
Delong, A.J., Tegano, D.W., Moran, J.D. III, Brickey, J., Morrow, D., & Houser, T.L. (1994). Effects of spatial scale on cognitive play in preschool children. Early Education and Development.
Bomba, A.K., Goble, C.B., & Moran, J.D. III, (1994). Maternal teaching behaviors and temperament disposition in preschool children. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 78, 403-406.
Moran, J.D. III (1993). Redefining the Common Body of Knowledge. In E.P. Anderson and V.L. Clark (Eds). Marketing of Home Economics: Issues and Practices. AHEA Teacher Education Yearbook, pp 169-181.
Sawyers, J.C., Moran, J.D. III, Fu, V.R. and Horm-Wingerd, D.H. (1992). Correlates of Metaphoric Comprehension in Young Children. Creativity Research Journal, 5, 27-34.
Tegano, D.W., Moran, J.D. III, and Sawyers, J.K. (1991). Creativity in Early Childhood Classrooms. Washington, D.C.: National Education Association.
Gardner, K.G. and Moran, J.D. III (1990). Family Adaptability, Cohesion and Creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 4, 281-286.